In a telecommunication system, a loss of signal (LOS) condition received at a network element (NE) results in an all zeros pattern transmitted downstream. This all zeros pattern will cause a loss of frame (LOF) on all downstream network elements for all Optical Transport Network (OTN) frame rates. This problem was not as pronounced in SONET/SDH networks. In SONET/SDH, this loss of frame is based on pointer values resulting in a probability of detecting a loss of frame. In addition, this issue can only be seen at the higher SONET/SDH bit rates; e.g., OC-768/STM-256 and OC-192/STM-64. Although the initial network element will react to the loss of signal and insert an alarm indication signal (AIS), this will not occur before the insertion of the frame overhead, and more specifically this causes the data communications to be lost to the downstream network element. Loss of frame overhead and data communication channels to the downstream network elements causes unnecessary protection switching. This includes SONET/SDH Link Access Procedure (LAPS), Unidirectional Path Switched Ring (UPSR), Subnetwork Connection Protection (SNCP), Bi-directional Line Switched Ring (BLSR), OTN SNCP, and OTN/SONET/SDH mesh restoration (e.g., with Optical Signal and Routing Protocol (OSRP), Automatically Switched Optical Networks (ASON), Generalized Multi Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS), etc.). For networks using a signaling and routing protocol, the loss of a link is especially troubling because it can cause multiple Subnetwork Connection (SNC) channels to mesh restore. Additionally, all downstream network elements will report loss of frame events, whereas only the initial loss of signal at the near end network element and the subsequent AIS defects at the downstream network elements should be reported.